building before derived come rolling

Rictavio

Monsters Curse of Strahd

carnival wagon, with a pet monkey on his shoulder. He took over an abandoned tower on Lake Baratok before rolling into the town of Vallaki several months later. Claiming to be a carnival ringmaster

hunting evil monsters. The Waiting Game. Van Richten isn’t a young man anymore. He knows his road is coming to an end, but his work isn't done. He has come to Barovia to kill Strahd von Zarovich

Rahadin

Monsters Curse of Strahd

his attention to building Castle Ravenloft, Rahadin saw to it that wizards and artisans were brought to Barovia. Years later, Strahd appointed Rahadin his castle chamberlain. Rahadin was pleased to do

never love her. Rahadin assumed that Patrina would suffer the same fate as those women who had come before her. He was proven wrong when Patrina's own people stoned her to death to keep Strahd from

Feylost

Backgrounds The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

under the Feywild’s spell and learned a little about the nature of the mercurial tricksters that dwell there. When you finally returned to your home plane, you did not come back unchanged. You

traveler’s clothes, three trinkets (each determined by rolling on the Feywild Trinkets table), and a pouch containing 8 gp Fey Mark You were transformed in some small way by your stay in the Feywild

Eladrin Legacy

Species Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

Everything dies eventually. Why bother building anything that is supposedly meant to last? 2 Nothing matters to you, and you allow others to guide your actions. 3 Your needs come first. In

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

We had a tabaxi come through once, a few winters back. She kept the taproom packed each night with her stories and spent most days napping in a chair in front of the fireplace. We thought she was

, prophecy, clan history, and other esoteric factors. Tabaxi names can apply to both males and females, and most use nicknames derived from or inspired by their full names. Clan names are usually based

Owlin

Species Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Distant kin of giant owls from the Feywild, owlin come in many shapes and sizes, from petite and fluffy to wide-winged and majestic. Owlin have arms and legs like other Humanoids, as well as wings

increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your

Young Topaz Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

squid, so these dragons have ample opportunity to complain bitterly about being wet after diving deep into the ocean in search of prey. Topaz dragons often come into conflict with bronze dragons when

to ask for help getting home. 6 A topaz dragon is building a tableau of desiccated creatures and has grown obsessed with catching one treasure hunter who escaped the dragon’s clutches

Topaz Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

, their favorite food is giant squid, so these dragons have ample opportunity to complain bitterly about being wet after diving deep into the ocean in search of prey. Topaz dragons often come into

, but the dragon is too proud to ask for help getting home. 6 A topaz dragon is building a tableau of desiccated creatures and has grown obsessed with catching one treasure hunter who escaped the

Encounter Deck

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

Encounter Deck Using cards to generate random encounters is a dynamic alternative to rolling on encounter tables. You can customize an encounter deck and remove cards as you draw them so they don’t

repeat. You can also alter the encounter deck as characters explore an area, adding cards to the deck to reflect changing circumstances and weaving the encounters into a narrative. The following system is derived from Miniatures Handbook (2003).

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

commoner’s clothes, a book of research notes, an ink pen, a bottle of squid ink, a flask of oil (made from blubber), a vial of acid (derived from digestive juices), a vial of fish scales, a vial

1 I helped create a krasis that I love like a pet and would carry with me everywhere … except it’s the size of a building, and it might eat me. 2 In my laboratory, I

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

and worse, so you know you can count on them in a fight. — Brego Stoneheart, sea captain Tritons guard the ocean depths, building small settlements beside deep trenches, portals to the

remote even merfolk and sea elves rarely encounter them. Haughty Nobles As a result of their isolation and limited understanding of the Material Plane, tritons can come across as haughty and

Dimir Operative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

. You can choose your secondary guild or roll to determine it randomly. This secondary guild membership determines a portion of your starting equipment and is also where most of your contacts come from

guildless masses of the city. Consider why you’re embedded in the secondary guild. Create a story with your DM, inspired by rolling on the following table or choosing a reason that suits you

Cult of Zariel

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

Cult of Zariel Goals: Conquest, glory in battle, fame and fortune derived from military victory Typical Cultist: Berserker, cult fanatic, cultist, gladiator, guard, knight, veteran Signature Spells

recruits. Knightly orders, fighters’ guilds, and mercenary companies are the most likely to come under her sway. Hobgoblins sometimes turn to her, but only if they have escaped the influence of

Amplifying Your Ideal

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Amplifying Your Ideal Many characters’ ideals come directly from their service to a god. Each god’s description in chapter 2 includes a table you can use to determine your hero’s ideal if your

character serves that god, instead of (or in addition to) an ideal derived from your background. But whether your character holds to one of those ideals, one from the Player’s Handbook or another source, or

Fairy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

a special physical characteristic that sets the fairy apart. For your fairy, roll on the Fey Characteristics table or choose an option from it. You’re also free to come up with your own

regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

the moss-covered building where I took part in my first reclamation mission. 5 I found something in the sewer that must never come to light. 6 I am forever grateful to the reclaimer who

bother to couch my opinions in flattering words. 5 I can’t help but pocket any trinket or coin I come across, no matter how worthless. 6 I’m convinced that I’m better and

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

I am kalashtar, born of two worlds. Over a thousand years ago, my ancestor bound her bloodline to the spirit Kashtai, and I am a child of that union. Kashtai moves within me. Her memories come to

an orphan kalashtar raised among strangers. The bond to the spirit can cause some kalashtar to display unusual quirks. Consider rolling or selecting a trait from the Kalashtar Quirks table

Ability Scores and Modifiers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

a modifier, derived from the score and ranging from -5 (for an ability score of 1) to +10 (for a score of 30). The Ability Scores and Modifiers table notes the ability modifiers for the range of

every attack roll, ability check, and saving throw, ability modifiers come up in play more often than their associated scores.

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within

kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

magical power than a potion, but they all believe that the tribal sorcerer can figure out how to use any such item they come across. When kobolds sense an opportunity to separate a magic item from its

waking time is spent working, adversarial kobolds rarely have opportunities to exchange insults, let alone come to blows over their differences. Kobolds choose mates primarily for convenience. Their

Izzet Engineer

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

basic knowledge of the structure of buildings, including the stuff behind the walls. You can also find blueprints of a specific building in order to learn the details of its construction. Such

Ideal 1 Guild. My guild is all that really matters. (Any) 2 Creativity. Half the world’s troubles come from stodgy thinking, stuck in the past. We need innovative

The Powers of the Mark

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

The Powers of the Mark Each dragonmark grants a set of abilities that reflect the inherent powers of the mark. Your dragonmarked race gives you a set of traits derived from the magic of your mark. If

source of the healing and supportive spells you cast, or your magic might come from a combination of your mark’s power and your faith in the gods. As a warlock, your aberrant dragonmark might actually

The Powers of the Mark

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

The Powers of the Mark Each dragonmark grants a set of abilities that reflect the inherent powers of the mark. Your dragonmarked race gives you a set of traits derived from the magic of your mark

source of the healing and supportive spells you cast, or your magic might come from a combination of your mark’s power and your faith in the gods. As a warlock, your aberrant dragonmark might actually

Wandering Monsters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

Wandering Monsters Each time one or more visible characters exit a building or enter a new district, roll a d6. On a roll of 1 or 2 (or just 1 if the characters are trying to be stealthy), they

attract the attention of one or more wandering monsters determined by rolling another d6 and consulting the Wandering Monsters table. See “Security Forces” above for more information about how many

Arrival at the Bathhouse

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

Arrival at the Bathhouse When the characters arrive at the bathhouse, read the following boxed text aloud to the players: The bathhouse is a one-story stuccoed building with stained-glass windows and

clay roof tiles. Ten-foot-tall walls enclose a large courtyard outside the southeast corner of the building. The closed wooden doors to the courtyard are engraved with images of smiling nymphs

Undead Attack

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

zombie per player character, and 1 wraith per every two characters (rounded down), excluding sidekicks. The zombies are the only ones attacking the building. The wraiths come out of the darkness after

Undead Attack This encounter occurs at night. As the characters approach the junction of the Triboar Trail and the High Road, set the scene: An oddly shaped building sits at the juncture of the

Three Flags Sailing

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Three Flags Sailing Tavern Fishers come here after a long day for a bowl of stew and a quick pint before heading to bed. The atmosphere is subdued; the fishers are cold and tired and unsure about

. Characters who hang out in the tavern are likely to hear a rumor or two, which you can determine by rolling on the Ten-Towns Rumors table (See "Ten-Towns Rumors").

Navigation

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

throw caution to the wind, the density of the undergrowth makes it tricky to move faster than 200 feet per minute. If the characters stop to search for treasure, each building takes 30 minutes to clear

. Whenever the party searches a ruined building, roll percentile dice and consult the Ruin Interior table to see what, if anything, the building contains. Ruin Interior d100 Ruin Contents 01–40

First Session: Character Creation

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

, congratulate them on building their characters and begin the adventure with the next session. During character creation, your role as the DM is to let your players build the characters they want, and to help

them come up with explanations for how their characters came together to form an adventuring party. If you have only one player, work with that player to come up with their character’s backstory, then

Wilderness Encounters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Wilderness Encounters As the adventurers explore Icewind Dale, they might come upon friendly, indifferent, or hostile creatures in the wild. Such encounters can create suspense, reinforce the

sure how often to schedule random encounters in a 24-hour period, you can leave it to chance by rolling a d8 and consulting the Number of Wilderness Encounters table. Number of Wilderness Encounters

Vault Guards

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

guards are posted on the balcony and one guard patrols around the outside of the building at ground level. A character can avoid the notice of the exterior guards with a successful DC 12 Dexterity

, characters can resolve encounters without resorting to combat. Some examples are listed below, though the characters may come up with creative alternatives: Bluffing. A character can lie their way

Frost Giants

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

Frost Giants The characters come upon 1d3 frost giants. If a single giant is encountered, it has a winter wolf companion. The giants are marauders looking for homesteads or caravans to wreck and

containing 3d6 × 100 cp, 2d6 × 100 sp, 1d6 × 100 gp, and one mundane item, determined by rolling on the Items in a Giant’s Bag table in the introduction.

Townmaster's Hall

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

Townmaster’s Hall This stone building has a wooden roof, a bell tower in the back, and an empty job board in the front. Harbin Wester, the townmaster and a wealthy banker, is polite if the characters

see him, although he seems to be worried and fretful — more so than usual. If the characters ask, he confides in them that the weather has been particularly fierce recently. Winds have come out of

27. Stairs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a3

by another check. Rolling Stone Trap. A millstone, concealed in the wall behind a layer of stucco, lies at the top of the steps. No nonmagical means can detect the hidden stone. If the trap is

triggered, the mechanism pushes the millstone through the wall and sends it rolling down the stairs. When this occurs, anyone who has a passive Perception score of 14 or lower is surprised. Everyone rolls

Chapter 1: Ten-Towns

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Chapter 1: Ten-Towns Like the famous drow Drizzt Do’Urden, many people who come to Ten-Towns are outcasts, fugitives, or pariahs in search of a place where they can be tolerated, if not accepted

. Some came here determined to make their fortunes. Others come for the solitude, or to escape notice and stay out of the reach of the law of the southern cities. Today, four hundred years after the

D&D Beyond

Search Results